The Fall and Rise
by smileforlove
Summary: Even though Hermione regrets blowing Ron off the first time, she has to deny his proposal later only because of a man named Charlie who would do ANYTHING to get what he wants. A fight begins, a fight that may not result with a happy ending...
1. Chapter 1

Hermione didn't think that just three little words could make her true love leave her forever…sheregretted it so deeply. But she couldn't do anything about it, yet she wanted him so badly. "_Ron, go away!" _

It was an October morning, one of the kinds that's chilly but has slight rays of warmth cascading over slim sidewalks and glistening down on grass covered fields.

Ron Weasely had just hit an exciting age of 22, blooming in a wonderful career as a financial manager at _Magic Money_, had a sporty new vehicle, and enough money to save a poor wizarding community. But his love life couldn't be any more down in the pits then they were now.

"Harry…I'm 22, rich, famous…and I want to go homosexual…" sighed a depressed Ron.

"Ron…that's some heavy shit man…don't go there." replied a shocked Harry, practically blaring into his phone's speaker.

"Damnit Harry! I was just joking…god…trying to break my eardrums or something?"

"Ron, if your love life sucks so much, go out and find someone, not including a man!" suggested Harry, as if finding your "true love" was as simple as hooking up with some random female in a bar.

"Ya right Harry, I'm not exactly the "lady's man" like yourself." clearly being sarcastic on Harry's part.

"I resent that…for your information, Ginny and I have-"

"GOD HARRY! SPARE ME! She's my sister you bastard! I don't need to know how many times you've fucked!"

"Sorry mate…forgot that you're her brother. Anyway, What about Hermione? She's not really dating…well maybe, just this one bloke named Charlie. But she said he's rather a jerk, cheated on her I believe."

"Seriously? That must suck for her…AND BLOODY NO! I'm not going out with Hermione!"

"Why not?"

Ron knew exactly how to respond, all he had to do was recite the whole incident when his beloved Hermione told him to go away and never speak to her again. Yet, alas, no answer came to mind.

"I don't know…just…no!"

"I think the two of you are good together…you just don't want to believe it do you _Ronniekins_?" sniggered Harry.

"Shut up Harry. You wouldn't understand…its just me, ya, it's just me." Ron finally answered, finishing off the topic at last.

"Fine, fine. Meet me at that new bar on Clementine St. at 6pm. Maybe I can find you a suitable girl…if you're not bad enough to scare the hell out of her with your tactics!"

"What? Harry! I'm not that awful! What tactics?"

But the line had already gone dead; Harry had hung up on him.

"Damnit…another girl to dump…what a life." Wheezed Ron, he jumped back onto his bed. Staring at his room's ceiling, he felt the emptiness of his house suppress the living delights out of him…he so wished he had a companion to share his life with. Having about one hour left, Ron heaved himself off the bed after a few minutes and rushed to the loo. After relieving himself, he took a quick shower, dressed in some black slacks, a slightly ruffled button-up shirt along with dress shoes, and he was set to go.

"Maybe some cologne for the "lucky" lady as well?" He puffed some light _Entrancing Love Spell for Men _from his expensive bottle and gave himself two shots and wink in the mirror before heading out.

Sliding into the leather interior of his luxurious new sports car, he revved up the engine and took off, nearly blasting his private gate away in speed.

"Shit! I'm late!" was all he had to say before he ran into the biggest surprise of his life.

"Harry? Where am I?" asked a young woman of about 22.

"Shh, I just want you to meet someone. He's a good friend of mine, I'm sure you'll like him."

"Harry…I've told you before, I'm not interested right now!" the girl huffed, obviously irritated.

"Just wait and see alright? You'll be happily surprised I'm sure." He replied, snickering just a bit.

"Are you laughing? Harry James Potter, I have never been so insulted! Do you honestly think I'm pathetic to not want to be dating right now? It's just with that wretched Charlie and his freakish idea of a "true lady"…god…it makes me want to kill him sometimes!"

"Shit, I'm just joking. Seriously though, you'll be truly happy to meet…or should I saw, re-meet him…"

"What? I've met him before?" cried the woman as Harry shoved her forwards, closer to the entrance.

"Where the fuck is that idiot…he's late, as always."

"Harry, don't swear, I read a book about how bad it truly is, one man swore himself to death one day, and he really did die. Dreadful case really…"

"Oh, he's here! Oi, RON!" Harry yelled. Not yet seeing his blind date, Ron grinned and swam through the crowd to meet Harry.

"Wait, Ron? Harry, you liar!" the girl cried, slapping Harry's arm as he waved to Ron.

"HERMIONE!" Ron hollered, once he met eye-to-eye with the brown haired girl.

"You look so…different." Ron quickly scanned his old friend, noticing how much she had developed after school got out. She wore a pair of jeans which hung a bit too tight to her new curves, and a low cut cashmere sweater that nearly screamed out the news of her grown chest. Not to mention her hair, it had clearly tamed quite thoroughly, she had it curled out in loose waves, so he couldn't rightly tell. But it was enough of a change for him to handle in one night, he almost fainted in shock.

"Hi Ron..." she blushed.

"What's wrong with you two? Aren't you happy to see each other?"

"Ya, of course!" The two answered, trying to make sure Harry wouldn't catch on to their act.

"Something's going on…I just know it. What's the big idea, did I miss something?" Harry inquired, eyeing the two suspiciously.

"It's nothing!" the two responded, exactly at the same time. Both of their eyes were wide and each a bit pale for their own good.

"Uhuh…"Harry moaned, rolling his eyes.

"You two get friendly, I'll get some drinks! What'd you two like?"

"Pink Lady for me, please." Hermione requested, giving a small smile, turning right pink herself.

"I'll have a Firewhiskey, thanks pal." Ron then stated. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a few galleons for Harry.

"Are you kidding me Ron? I'm paying!"

"No you're not! I'll pay for my drink Harry, it's completely alright!"

"My treat you idiot! Take back the galleons!" Harry yelled, shoving them away.

"I'll take them!" Hermione squeaked, she reached out, snatched away the coins and giggled. Although Harry began laughing, Ron was baffled by her new attitude as well as the new appearance. He could scarcely take it all in.

"Alright then…at least the money goes somewhere." Ron finally agreed, he gave a forced chuckle then sat down at a small table by the bar, offering for Hermione to sit too.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, how's work?"

"Oh, nothing much really. How have you been?"

"Doing good…great…wonderful! I just, you know...Imissyoualot." the last few words came out so mushed together that it sounded more like "Imishyuawot!" then anything else.

"Er, sorry, I didn't catch that last part."

"Hermione…I miss you a lot. I'm sorry to bother you like this, after you clearly told me to, you know, go away. I didn't know you would be here as well."

Hermione turned so red that she looked just about ready to be ill, her eyes went everywhere but his slightest direction and she could barely contain herself.

"I-I..Imsorryron!"

"Pardon?" Ron asked, returning the question about a slurred sentence."

"I'm sorry Ron! I'm so sorry, I was just so angry, and frustrated. I didn't mean it at all! Please, just, forgive me! I shouldn't have been so cross to break up with you at the time!"

The conversation stood silent, and to them, all the upbeat music and screaming people in the background died off and all that each of them saw was each other, ashamed and feeling guiltier then ever.

"I, you, Hermione…" but Ron was at lost for words, the last time he had been at lost for words with Hermione was when they first met on the train to Hogwarts for their 1st year.

_"Oh, by the way, you have dirt right…here." The curly haired girl said, she pointed at the side of her nose before walking out the door of their car. _

This fond memory always returned to Ron when he saw Hermione, and before he realized his actions, he rapidly shouted, "Hermione, I still love you!"

Ron jumped from his seat, crossed to Hermione's side and embraced her in his arms.

"Ron…"

"I still love you, I always will! Hermione," he kneeled to one knee and picked up her left hand, still red but pale all the same, "please, marry me! I don't have a ring, and I didn't think this through, but I know that you're the one I want to be with forever!"

Hermione's eyes turned white and she was beginning to shake all over, but before anyone could say a thing…

"Alright guys! Drinks are ready! Drink up!" Harry announced cheerily, he set three glasses onto the table before he finally realized the situation and stared dumbfounded.

"Ron," Hermione's emotion had gotten the better of her and tears were pouring out her eyes, sliding down the curve of her cheeks and dripping down onto her hands, "I'm sorry!" she tossed away his hand, flew from her seat and ran away through the crowds of people, sobbing more then ever.

"Ron…I am really sorry! But…I can't…I just can't!" Hermione screamed as she ran down the sidewalks, it was already dark out and she wanted to fly away on the next shooting star and never come back again. "Ron…I still love you too…it's Charlie I can't leave…he would do such terrible things…terrible things…" She couldn't hold it back anymore, her sobbing was in such hysterics that passersby's just stood and stared their eyes right at her. She took out her wand, although muggles were watching, and apparated back to her flat.

"Please Ron, don't give up…I still love you!"

Meanwhile, Ron sat, still completely shocked, in the bar.

"Sorry Ron, I didn't know at all. I'm really sorry." Harry begged, closing his eyes in regret and deep sorrow felt sincerity.

"It's fine Harry. Just forget it." Ron was completely wasted, and was downing his sixth Firewhiskey.

"You should probably stop now Ron…" Harry advised, removing the empty glass from Ron's hand.

"I can't believe it…all in one night. Surprise…happiness…sadness…"

"It's life buddy."

"Figures…to bad I'm stuck in it."

"You should go find her Ron." Harry again advised.

"She doesn't love me Harry, she's with _Charlie_, I was so fuckin' stupid to forget! Stupid me, stupid me!" Ron hollered, beginning to slap himself. Harry watched this and stared up into the ceiling.

"Ron, you're wasted and tired. Just go back home and-"

"Hold up Harry! Why would Hermione run away crying, wouldn't she be angry or just surprised, why crying?"

"Because she felt bad you stupid git!"

"Wait! It can't be Hermione…and if not, it must be Charlie!"

"Then again…that might be the case…By the way…on this crossword puzzle, what's a seven letter word for "dead meat"?" Harry asked, holding his pen in his mouth, prodding the edges of the puzzle with his fingers.

Ron sat away, thinking of an answer, so drunk and tired that he could barely think. But when he came up with a solution, it was the wittiest thing he had said all night.

"Harry?"

"Yup?"

"Charlie...a seven letter for for dead meat!"


	2. Chapter 2

Ron woke up on a couch, most likely in Harry's flat, he had an awful hangover and probably puked once or twice last night based on how bad his hands smelled.

"Argh…feel like shit." Ron mumbled.

"Oh, you're awake Ron!" Harry cheerfully greeted, he was sitting at his kitchen table with the new newspaper _The Scribe_ which gave more realistic facts compared to _The Daily Prophet. _His cup of fresh brewed coffee sat on a coaster on the side of the table next to his plate of scrambled eggs and pancakes (magically made of course).

"Give me some coffee, feel terrible…" Ron groggily ordered.

"Ya, I noticed. Take some of this instead; I made it last night because I knew we'd have hangovers."

"Great. Hand it over."

Harry gave him a tiny little glass with a greenish-brownish substance. It smelled wretched but Ron didn't notice until he had swallowed it. The potion burned his throat and felt like a stone was rocketing itself through his body to his stomach, he wanted so much to hurl again! But suddenly, the "rock" disappeared and turned into a soothing liquid that calmed his nerves and made him feel much, much, better, and soon the hangover was completely gone.

"Thanks Harry."

"Don't mention it."

Oo, pancakes? Thanks "honey"!" Ron joked in a high, motherly tone.

"Sod off, it was the only thing I could think of making. You should be praising me just about now for saving you from that hangover you know." Harry smiled, raising an eyebrow. Ron replied with a roll of his eyes, tottered to the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of orange juice.

"Wait, Ron, check this out. It says that Voldemort's on his way now…"

"Again? He's been "on his way" for the past, what was it? O ya, 11 years. God Harry, I'm beginning to think Voldemort's hairy and old by now, when's he going to come so we can kill him off already?" Ron broke in, explaining his opinion. Harry looked up from his paper and gave Ron a sinister glare.

"It's not funny Ron, but you can go jump off a cliff for all I care if you think that's really what's going to happen. It says that he's building up his army still, must be millions by now…hopefully this war will begin and end quickly enough that he won't cause too much harm."

"Ya, I guess…"Ron finally admitted, he swallowed a full glass of juice before placing it in the sink and walking to Harry's room to find some clean clothes.

After twenty minutes of searching through the drawers and closets, Ron found an agreeable pair of jeans and a button up polo shirt.

"Ok, I'm ready, let's go." Ron announced while he ruffled his red long hair a bit more for "body".

"Go where?" Harry quizzically asked in return, flipping through the last few pages of _The Scribe_.

"We're going to find Charlie of course. That dirty bastard, who knows what he's already done to Hermione?"

"Ron, you're getting paranoid. From what I've heard, Hermione's only said sugary nice things about Charlie. You shouldn't start any trouble, you might find yourself in another spot again, remember last time?" Harry sighed, turning his eyes back to his paper, waving aside the matter.

"No, I'm serious Harry, we really ought to, after all, I heard that Charlie has done some bad things to her. Honestly, I heard her yell his name in pure hatred when she ran last night."

"Ron, you were drunk last night, you seem to be "remembering" a lot of things, most of which aren't true." Harry sighed, finally finishing off his plate of pancakes and eggs.

"Look Harry, let's just check on her alright?"

"Fine, whatever you say…" Harry groaned at last, he set his dishes in the sink, threw the newspaper into a magazine rack and set off with Ron through the door, already full attired in designer labels.

"Where's my car Harry?"

"I sent it back to your house with that spell I learned last year in Hogwarts. I think Seamus told us, he learned it so he can drive places without getting in trouble for being underage while he was younger, I heard his mum told him so she could stay home."

"Oh, I remember that one, great spell really, and then make a hologram of an adult in the front seat, yeah? It was great." Ron laughed, he seated himself into the passenger's chair of Harry's Lexus and they soon began driving off toward the freeway.

"I used to think muggles were underprivileged morons, but I guess the world of muggles isn't too bad. It's just the muggles themselves that sort of drive me up the wall! They're so slow at times."

"That's why they're muggles, Ron." Sighed Harry, turning a sharp corner, "So…where does Charlie live exactly?" he then asked.

"I found out this morning, he lives down Dewberry Road, Number 13."

"Did you say _Dewberry Road_?" Harry cautiously asked, giving Ron a sideways glance.

"Ya, why?"

"Keep your wand at the ready Ron, this might be dangerous. Dewberry Road is known to be full of Voldemort's followers. Why would Charlie be living there…and with Hermione there too? She's not pure blood, she's at risk!"

"Figures, Charlie's a selfish git I bet you."

"Now that I know where he lives…you're probably right." Moaned Harry, it took a great matter of time to finally reach Dewberry Road, and when they did, the sun suddenly disappeared and all the Road truly was, was just tall narrow, leafless trees along with some shabby black houses lining the road.

"If Hermione were mine, she wouldn't be living in this dump." Ron bitterly commented once they stopped the car.

"Here's Number 13, Dewberry Road. This house looks better than the rest though, it's odd." Harry surprisingly declared. He was right, as Ron looked up from his folded hands, he noticed the house was not only different, but extremely different. It seemed to lighten the whole road. The house looked more like a mansion and it was painted a snow white, four center columns were lined up at the entrance and it greatly looked like the White House that Ron learned about on his trip to Washington D.C when he traveled to America (a muggle country). A huge white fence traveled around the house, giving a friendly yet secretive appearance.

"Maybe he's not too bad…"

"For God's sake Harry, this is Charlie we're talking about! He lives in Dewberry Road, like you said, it's still bad! If he can afford this, why does he live here?"

"You're right, we need to watch for Hermione. We shouldn't barge in though, we need to see what they're doing to know if it's safe or not."

"Even if it's not, we can't just leave, we'd need to save Hermione!" Ron hissed, taking quick, short steps towards the entrance. With wands pocketed but clenched tightly in their pockets they approached the door.

"Hold on, I think I see something. Look straight ahead."

The two young men crept behind the bush and peaked over the edge into the window. They saw nothing except a beautifully decorated and furnished study. Ancient, leather bounded books lined the walls and a shiny oak desk and chair were set into a corner. There wasn't much else except for one thing that caught their attention.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ron whispered, staring forward at a circling bulb.

"Ron…I think it is."

The bulb that swung in circles before their very eyes held the face of someone they knew, someone they cared about, someone who was in too much trouble for words…It was Hermione. And she need help.

"She's in that bulb Harry!" Ron wanted to scream, but he muffled his words, knowing that it wouldn't do any good.

"She's screaming…for help I think. Wait, there's Charlie! Duck low!"

"O no! God, I'd love to make that bastard eat some shit one day!"

"Now's not the time." Harry ordered, his face was sullen, and you could tell by his eyes, his mother's eyes, that he wasn't afraid this very moment to put his life on the line.

_"Oo, Hermione, where were you last night? I was up for hours, searching, but to no avail. You know what happens when I can't find you, don't you Hermione, dearest?" questioned a cold voice._

_"No! I was just out with some friends, Charlie!" Hermione couldn't help but scream, tears streaming her face._

_"AT A BLOODY FUCKING CLUB YOU WERE! WHERE OTHER MEN COULD FIND YOU! THEY COULD'VE TAKEN YOU FROM ME! BUT NEVER! YOU'RE MINE!" _

_"No! Please! Don't! I'll never go again! Please!" Hermione gasped. _

_"Very well…I'll resist the temptation. But next time I cannot find you when I need you, your little friends are going to go…poof" the man disapeared, suddenly reappearing next to Hermione in the glass bulb. _

_"Your skin looks so…raw…let me just-"the man murmured, the sound of hunger, lingering in his voice._

_"DON'T TOUCH ME!" _

_"Oh, but I will, I can, just watch me." He took two fingers and entered her. She screamed, and pushed him, trying to find more room in the glass cage._

_"You filthy-I thought I taught you!" He cornered her, and pressed his face to her neck, she moaned in frustration, her tears cascading in flows down her cheeks._

_"How much I love it when you make such sounds, more! More!" he ordered, pushing her, shoving her, touching her. She screamed, and pounded, and hit him, but everything she did only made the pain so much more unbearable. _

_"Stop it!" she cried, hitting his face with her hands as he tried to rub against her again._

_"Hermione! It's Ron!" a distant voice yelled. _

_She froze, Charlie froze, everything seemed to stop, she looked up, glistening tears in her eyes…Ron! How much she loved him, she didn't want to hurt him, yet there she was, completely exposed, and cornered by a cruel man who only wanted her for her body. _

_"Hermione!" Ron's fists pounded the glass bulb, but she knew he wouldn't be able to get to her, he needed the spell._

_"Who's THAT HERMIONE! YOU BROUGHT A FRIEND! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU?" Charlie hollered angrily, pulling her by her hair, throwing her into the walls._

_"Let me through, Ron!" another voice yelled, a man. It was Harry._

_"No, Harry! Leave! It's too dangerous for you! Both of you! Leave at once!" Hermione tried to scream, but she already knew the answer. _

_"Never!" Ron and Harry cried in unison. Harry brought up his wand, and closed his eyes. Mumbling a spell that was unfamiliar, but it worked, the cage broke. _


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie let out a scream of frustration and quickly yanked Hermione's hair and held her close to him with his wand jabbed into her neck. She gasped for breath and tried to cover herself up but it wasn't any use, she was back to life size and stood right before Harry and Ron stark naked.

The two young men averted their eyes.

"You two…step any nearer and you'll never see these eyes have any life again!" Charlie bellowed ferociously, meaning Hermione, he turned back to Harry and Ron and shouted orders, "Let go of the wands! On the ground! DROP THEM!"

Harry and Ron did as told, but grew hesitant before finally setting it out of easy reach.

Charlie, their now bitter enemy let out girlish cackles before he collected the two wands.

"And you," he swerved to face Hermione, "come with me."

He left the two unarmed men left in the study as he exited with Hermione trailing behind at a slow, miserable speed.

"We can't just leave her like this…we look like fools! No wands! No nothing!" Ron wailed, beginning to cower away into a corner.

"Shut up Ron…so what're we going to do now?"

"You think of something Harry."

"O really? You think I'm not trying already!" came a frustrated reply. They glowered at one another, both impatient and burning with fury…Charlie had to die.

"I TOLD YOU ABOUT NOT BRINGING YOUR FUCKING FRIENDS!"

Hermione felt tears gushing out her eyes as he brought her a red silk robe.

"Come here." He suddenly whispered, beginning to lean on the bed of his bedroom. She crept towards him, whimpering.

"Don't be afraid…" he began again, lightly holding her back as she finally came into reach of him.

"I won't hurt you."

The sobs began erupting and he steadily comforted her with his right hand, touching a tear and wiping it away.

"I'm in love with you Hermione. And I need you, just you, you can't go anywhere else…YOU CANNOT SEE ANYONE ELSE!" he yelled, she jumped. At this he held on to her closer.

"Hold me Hermione. I order you to."

With that she brought her shaking hands to his back and just barely held them there. She could tell his patience was breaking, but yet he didn't slap nor hurt her. He held her there, clenching her thin robe that she had wrapped around her. He held her, just holding her in his arms, hugging her before creeping his filthy hand up the hem of the skirt. She let out a whine of pain as she felt his two fingers entering the very inside of her and before she knew it he had slammed her against the hard wood walls.

"And yet…you bring your BLOODY FRIENDS HERE! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES YOU MUDBLOOD? WHAT HAVE I MADE CLEAR SO MANY TIMES TO YOU! YOU CAN'T SEE ANYONE BUT ME! Can't you see how much pain I'm in? I'm so in love with you!" Again his soft voice came back and he fled to hold her again. She tried to wriggle away but his grip was so tight.

"Just one more time Hermione…then I won't ever do it again!"

'_He won't do it again? He won't? Maybe I'll be free…maybe I will! Then I can be with Ron forever!' _were Hermione's only thoughts before being tossed onto the bed like a ratty old doll. He jumped onto her and trapped her with his muscular arms and long body. For nearly the third time that day he began removing his shirts and unbuttoning his pants. She hugged herself, hoping for it to be over quickly…she just needed Ron.

"O Hermione…how much I love you…" Charlie groaned, swinging himself to hold her so close there wasn't any gap between them, his tongue so delicately traced her now naked body and came towards her breasts. She held in her breath, tightening her closed eyes.

_Just pretend I'm dead…just pretend…I'm not really here…this is just a bad nightmare! I'm with Ron…we're dancing in the fields, we're playing chess in the Burrow…we're helping his mum set the table for supper…we're opening gifts at Christmas together…making love at his apartment. Just think about Ron, then it'll all be ok. _

"Hermionneeee…"droned on Charlie, he called her name in a deep crackly moan as he finally entered her. His wet fingers traced her, his touch getting more intense every second. She felt him harden and began crying, so out of breath she couldn't hold escaping a cry of pain.

He froze, looked her in the eyes and began kissing her, whipping her body all around the bed before finally beginning to dress himself again.

She huddled in a tight ball in the front of the bed, wrapping herself with the robe and telling herself over and over again it was finally done.

"I'll be back tomorrow. You did well today. I love you Hermione." His cold voice hit her like bullets right into her heart.

It wasn't over! He lied…that dirty son of a bitch. But he always lied didn't he? But still…didn't he have even an ounce of purity, of love…or was he really what she thought he was: A perverted bastard.

Why'd she follow him all this time? Why had she come to him so willingly? Because he said he loved her.

They met on the subway to Hermione's work place. She'd had to stand by one of the doors and hold onto a railing because all the seats were taken. Nevertheless, she was in a skirt and she had noticed an older man sneaking a peak into somewhere he shouldn't be looking with his camera phone. Charlie had also noticed this and had stood up for her.

"What do you think you're doing to my girl you dirty bastard?" Charlie had acted perfectly. His messy brown hair cascaded across his hand, gelled with just a bit of mousse. He had white teeth back then, and had alluring cologne. His eyes were what had really drawn her in, his eyes were Ron's. He asked her out for lunch, and in return to his favor she obliged. She'd had fun, he was witty and nice and a perfect gentleman. Until she came home with him one night after one too many tequilas at the bar and he turned into a horrible monster.

And now…he was only worse. He was drunk half the day and came home late at night dragging some slutty prostitute with him from his parties. She hated him now, that dirty rotten son of bitch deserved to die. She was going to kill him, whether or not she'd have to go to Azkaban. She'd rather die from loosing her very soul then loose her soul in a house that she'd been raped, tortured, and beaten alive. She'd rather die than live with him, so she'd kill him instead and leave. She'd leave with Ron and Harry and be alive again. She'd learn to live and breathe and feel life like she'd felt back when she was at Hogwarts.

"Let's kill him." Ron quietly murmured, "That's the only way."

"Well it's not like there's any other way. Of course we have to kill him. But we don't have a wand and he does…its like a two-against-ten battle!"

"It's not nearly as hopeless as you make it sound Ron. We just need to get him vulnerable and weak."

"Well how're we rightly going to do that?"

"Get him drunk."

"He's always drunk and he still managed to rape Hermione with perfect bastard-ly ways. I'd say he's a drunk with a brain."

"Ron, I could beat you up right now. Your shitty humor is just about to make me come over there." Harry said from across the room, sitting in the red sofa, pondering over the possibilities.

"It's not like I'm in love with you right now either Potter."

This got another glaring contest going. The friendship thread was just about to batter away into a few tiny hairs.

Ron let out a groan and buried his head in his hands as he sat cross legged in the dark corner.

"Just tell me what's your plan Harry. I won't say anything shitty."

Harry swerved his chair around to face him, tears in his eyes.

"I don't have a plan. I just want to save Hermione."

Hermione's name brought tears right into Ron's eyes and the two young men were speechless as to what to say next. They just wanted Hermione to be safe again. They wanted to see her vibrant smile, her corny laugh, even her cleverness that got insanely annoying sometimes, they wanted all of that back with them again.

"I guess we'll just have to go on instinct. How do we get him vulnerable?" Ron asked once more.

"Well you said him being drunk is practically an every day thing. Let's do something that will surprise him…"

"Like?"

"Who's always chasing Hermione?"

"Me."

"No…I mean Charlie."

"Oh. Alright. Well Charlie. He's always chasing Hermione. What about it."

"Hermione hates him. With a passion. But if we turn it around who wouldn't be surprised. She'll lure him on, start teasing him about and get him really relaxed, then we strike!" Harry shot his fist into the air and gave out a triumphant "Aha!"

"Then we'd have to see Hermione goddamn naked, clinging onto a man that both of us hates, practically licking the skin of his back before saving her! Are you BLOODY FUCKING MAD?"

Harry only nodded, "Whatever we can do to get Hermione back."

Ron couldn't be angry at this, Harry's heart was in the right place. But this idea, how could he oblige to seeing the woman he'd loved ever since he'd set eyes on her touching another man whom he hated. How was it possible for his heart and eyes to be able to see and feel such a thing.

"This is hopeless." Ron finally screamed, exasperated.

"What did I tell you?" Harry firmly reminded, his chair's back facing Ron.

"It's not hopeless." Came a wimpy reply.

"You know it's not. We're getting Hermione back that way Ron, whether you like that idea or not."

"You're right…even though your plan sucks bullocks."

No reply came and at this Ron sat again in his corner, thinking about Hermione and hoping she was ok.

_I'm coming for you Hermione. I might have missed my chance the first time…but I won't loose you again. I can't._


End file.
